This Halloween season, the most terrifying monster afoot won’t be found lurking in your Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff movie marathon or rampaging from door to door in pursuit of candy. No, Fall 2026 is bringing a much scarier prospect: El Niño. 

Due to a confluence of events –including King Tides, Kelvin waves, and the ongoing effects of human-caused global warming – this season’s edition of the semi-regular climate pattern has the potential to be a big one. This could spell extra rains, flooding potential, and for some regions, even mudslides. But LA’s gardeners don’t need to be too petrified to plant: with a little preparation, you can face this “monster” storm with confidence.

Werewolves, Witches, and…Wet Zones?

Though California is only months out of a years-long drought, our propensity for dryness doesn’t matter when it comes to El Niño: as far as that weather pattern is concerned, we’re in a potentially monstrous wet zone. El Niño will require some extra planning and a certain nimbleness, qualities that we know our gardeners have in spades! When you’re in a region that might get higher-than-usual rainfall due to a Super El Niño, gardening best practices can shift. Prepare to start your fall planting early this year to get ahead of the storm.

Be like a vampire: no planting garlic! (And Raise Beds instead of Raising the Undead)

And it’s not just garlic: you’ll need to say “boo” to plants whose roots are prone to rot. According to the El Niño Guide, this means many popular root vegetables and tubers (like carrots and potatoes), as well as garlic and onions. But you may not have to say “ahhh!” to alliums entirely: the Guide suggests that fervent non-vampires – as well as any among the living and undead who happen to love these spookily underground vegetables – can try to avoid the wrath of the wet zone by opting for “raised beds with extra sand mixed into the soil for drainage [and harvesting] at the first sign of maturity.” 

In fact, raised beds are a strong option for anything you want to plant during periods of heavy rain. If the bed doesn’t have an open bottom that sits directly on soil – that is, if you’re the DIY type using a repurposed medicine cabinet or crate – make sure to drill a few holes on the underside so rainwater has somewhere to go. Adding in that sand (or perlite) will help prevent soggy soil and plant materials from clogging up the drains. Well-mulched soil can also help keep things flowing (see below for more mulch info.)

Do the Monster Mulch

Do the mash? No – do the monster mulch! Introducing a protective layer on your topsoil can help protect your plants, as well potentially keep mud at bay. Adding some extra compost may also help add a layer of protection. LASAN offers free mulch to LA residents – you can check out this page to learn how you can access some of this monster-proofing goodness, gratis.

Natives Know What to Do

In a recent piece in the LA Times, the Theodore Payne Foundation’s horticultural educator Erik Blank and Hardy Californians’ Parker Davis suggested a hardy handful of native plants  that can benefit from being planted during periods of extra rain. These included Hooker’s evening primrose, mulefat, mugwort, and Canyon Prince wild rye.

Mugwort may be a particularly auspicious plant this Halloween: this riparian herb, with its silvery leaves and low-to-the-ground nature, has long been associated with witches, the moon, dreams, and divination. You can learn more about mugwort and other spookily spectacular California plants in our 2023 blog post, The Haunted Garden.

In general, you’ll want to look for riparian plants that “need regular water all year, so they can be planted any time” (source: University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.) This might feel like your garden is heading to a costume party – a non-riverside garden going as a riparian habitat for Halloween – but that’s part of the Halloween spirit, right? A couple of these native plants to look into include the Western Columbine and Marsh Fleabane.

Make Your Space Monster-proof

Have you ever seen one of those old, 1950s monster movies, where a giant creature traipses through the city causing havoc? Though El Niño isn’t exactly The Blob, you can prepare your outdoor space to help protect your plants.

Make sure your yard is clear of debris, including trash and plant matter; you’ll also want to do a tour of your drains, gutters, the roof, and any walls or ditches. Make sure there aren’t any leaks, conduct any necessary repairs, and ensure that super-powered rain will have a space to flow (that won’t involve flowing your trash to our storm drains and waterways.) The California Coastal Climate Commission also recommends avoiding too many “large bare areas” in your yard; as we noted above, you can take this as your sign to cover up any loose soil with mulch, to help avoid mudflows.

We also recommend preparing your rain barrel, or installing one if you haven’t already. This way, you can make the monster work for you by capturing the rainfall to use to water your garden later on. You can learn more about rain barrel installation and maintenance here.

Not Such a Monster After All

Even though the potential Super El Niño might feel a bit like a supernatural nemesis, it’s important to remember that this weather pattern isn’t really a monster. It’s the result of natural tradewind patterns, and the particular intensity we may have in store this year is due in large part to human interference – not the work of creepy critters. 

It’s normal to be a bit scared, because so many things are still uncertain. But by taking steps to prepare yourself, your home, and your garden, you don’t have to be too spooked about the storm. Leave the heebie-geebies to the trick-or-treaters.

Curious to learn more about what El Niño means for Los Angeles? This post is part of a series: in the coming weeks, you’ll be able to read about how you can prepare your home; learn more about El Niño and the First Flush; and find out what LA and CA are up to.